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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30107421">Word On The Grapevine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/grammaticallywrong/pseuds/grammaticallywrong'>grammaticallywrong</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, M/M, Magical Realism, coffee shop AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:55:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>998</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30107421</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/grammaticallywrong/pseuds/grammaticallywrong</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Baekhyun changes his routine for once and finds something special along the way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Challenge #15 — Magical World</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Word On The Grapevine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearbhcy/gifts">dearbhcy</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p> </p><p>Word on the grapevine is that there is a new cafe that opened across the street.</p><p>A hole in the wall old enough to be considered historical, the vines that creep up the brick walls and bleed into the café frame the wooden entrance that leads inside.</p><p>The brick walls continue on the inside - each brick tainted by the history of the area, a culmination of the past, present, and perhaps the future. </p><p>They say entering it feels like a fairy tale - the lights hang above, tinkering ever so often, as if it follows the melodious laughter of its patrons. </p><p>The cherry blossom trees serve to add to the fantasy that the quaint little café gives. The petals that fall down in the spring color the otherwise grey pavement that lead up to the café. </p><p>Baekhyun rarely visits that side of the town. It’s too far of a walk from his office that was, really, only a block away. But he never bothered to deviate from his Starbucks order of regular coffee, anyway. What for, when it clearly does its job of tasting like coffee - as it should. </p><p>“You should try it.” Kyungsoo shrugs, taking a moment to sip from the hot beverage.</p><p>“And why should I? It will take me three minutes just to walk to the café. I’m a busy man, Soo.” Baekhyun drawls before going back to his work.  </p><p>“You’re so boring, Byun.” Baekhyun doesn’t have to lift his head to know that Kyungsoo is rolling his eyes at him. “Live your life a little.” </p><p>“Get out of my office before I report you to HR." Baekhyun huffs. </p><p>"I <em>am</em> HR," Kyungsoo throws a middle finger his way and Baekhyun just chuckles.</p><p>Baekhyun decides to visit the café the next day; leaves his house earlier and trudges the extra minutes of walking.</p><p>He has to admit, the café does look like it came straight out of a fairy tale. It’s emphasized by the rays of sun that filter through the cherry blossom trees. </p><p>Baekhyun glances at his watch. He allotted approximately ten minutes to go inside, get coffee, and walk back to his office. </p><p>It seems possible as soon as he enters the empty café, the overhead lights twinkling along with the chimes that resonate in the place.</p><p>“Good morning! A cup of coffee to start the day?” The man behind the counter turns around, greeting him with a wide smile and, oh, look, butterflies have started flying around, landing on the vines that decorate the wall. One even landed on Baekhyun’s hair. “They seem to like you.” </p><p>Baekhyun feels the butterfly that sits on his hair flutter, and he finds it curious how its wings beat to the thrumming of his heartbeat. He clears his throat, feeling his cheeks heat. “One iced americano please.”</p><p>“Ah. We only serve regular coffee. Would you like to try it?” </p><p>Baekhyun frowns, but nonetheless nods. </p><p>He sits patiently on one of the tables and not a moment later, he hears his order. </p><p>“Thanks.” He says before grabbing the drink and walking out the door, not missing the smile and the gentle wave. </p><p>He takes a sip, and instantly his lips pull into a smile - it tastes like nostalgia, of warm hugs from his father and even warmer smiles from his mother. </p><p>He drinks the coffee throughout the day, feeling much more caffeinated and a little brighter than he did yesterday, failing to notice that the cup of coffee never turned cold.</p><p>He visits the café again the next day, eager to taste more of the drink that reminded him of happiness.</p><p>He enters the café, hears the chimes and sees the lights, and once again, sees the handsome man behind the counter. The butterflies appear again, this time landing on his silk blue suit.</p><p>The man - Chanyeol, his name tag says - looks at the butterflies and smiles wider as soon as his eyes meet his. “Regular coffee?” </p><p>Baekhyun nods.</p><p>He grabs his drink as soon as it’s offered and takes a sip. It tastes like laughter and joy and his chest balloons with emotions.  </p><p>“Do you like it?” Chanyeol’s eyes are wide in curiosity.</p><p>“I do.” Baekhyun says genuinely, biting his lip in shyness at the sudden attention from the man. </p><p>“I hope you come back soon, then.” </p><p>And he did.</p><p>He visits everyday, sacrifices the extra minutes if only to taste a little bit of nostalgia and welcome the butterflies that greet him.</p><p>Everyday it tasted different - it tastes of euphoria buzzing in his veins that power him throughout the day; other times, he would feel blissed out, like the waves of the ocean relaxing his nerves with every sip of the drink. </p><p>It takes him several trips to the café for him to muster the courage to ask Chanyeol out to dinner, in his café, maybe, just so he can satisfy his curiosity - about the man and his coffee.</p><p>“How are you doing it?” Baekhyun asks as he eyes the man in front of him.</p><p>“I can show you, if you want?” Baekhyun sees the glitter behind Chanyeol’s eyes and he nods, eager to know the secret.</p><p>Chanyeol procures a cup and fills it with coffee brewed from a pot. Baekhyun feels disappointment simmer in his chest, until he sees Chanyeol wave his hand and sees the smoke from the cup swirl and shimmer with magic.</p><p>“It’s just regular coffee, but it’s you that makes it special.” Chanyeol says before sliding the cup in front of him. </p><p>Baekhyun exhales, eyes wide in awe. </p><p>“The café is also enchanted. The butterflies you see reflect your emotions. Right now, they seem to be fluttering wildly.” Chanyeol’s smile turns charming, eyes twinkling in knowing. Baekhyun flushes pink, feels his cheeks heat and true enough, the monarch butterflies flap their wings wildly, fluttering to the staccato of his heartbeat.</p><p>He visits more often, more for the man behind the magic, but thinks the coffee is an added bonus as well.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Butterflies for the butterflies in Baekhyun’s stomach! hehe.</p><p>Thank you mods for being so kind, and thank you, dear reader for giving this a chance. ^^</p><p>and to asma, because you're something special 💖</p></blockquote></div></div>
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